Under 18s see off Cheltenham (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

SWINDON TOWN: Under 18s see off Cheltenham

6:00am Monday 1st October 2012 in Sport

SWINDON Town Under 18s saw off Cheltenham 4-1 away from home on Saturday in their last league game for five weeks.

Louis Thompson celebrated his recent call-up for the Wales Under 19 squad with an early goal to set the tone, darting through the Cheltenham defence to slot home.

Thompson’s Welsh international colleague, Aaron Oakley, got in on the act shortly afterwards, heading home Luke Murden’s cross to double Town’s advantage.

Mark Francis fired home a belter from 20 yards to send Swindon in at the break 3-0 up and out of sight, but Cheltenham battled hard after the interval.

Francis buried a penalty in the 71st minute after Connor Waldon was hacked down in the box to extend the visitors’ lead yet further and, though Cheltenham hit back with a spot-kick of their own 15 minutes from time, it was far too little far too late.

Town boss Paul Bodin said: “We got off to a great start but Cheltenham were a lot brighter in the second half and caused us a few problems.

“It proved to be a comfortable win. Swindon Town now go into a cup competition for the next five weeks.”